Gulnoza Saidazimova

Also by Gulnoza Saidazimova

• January 18, 2005

  Uzbekistan: Rights Activists Reject U.S. Probe Into Prison Death

  A team of investigators from U.S. democracy watchdog Freedom House concluded yesterday that natural causes were behind the death in prison of Samandar Umarov, an Uzbek man convicted on charges relating to terrorism and membership in the banned Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir. Umarov died earlier this month while serving the fourth year of a 17-year prison term. Family members and Uzbek rights activists have rejected the Freedom House findings, saying Umarov was tortured to death.

• January 14, 2005

  Central Asia: Authorities Cite Uzbek, Turkmen Economic Growth, But Living Standards Still Low

  In his New Year's speech, President Saparmurat Niyazov said Turkmenistan's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 21 percent in 2004. As for Uzbekistan, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced estimates in December that its economy grew by 7 percent in 2004. These are high rates for what are considered to be the most closed economies of the former Soviet bloc. Are the data credible and if so, how do they translate into living standards for ordinary people?

• January 10, 2005

  Kyrgyzstan: Demonstrators Hold Third Day Of Protests

  Protesters in Bishkek Around 200 demonstrators held a third day of protests in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, demanding free and fair elections and an end to President Askar Akaev's rule. Officials may fear a "Ukrainian-style" revolution ahead of next month's parliamentary vote.

• January 07, 2005

  Kyrgyzstan: Opposition Leader Claims Political Motivation Behind Rejection Of Her Election Registration

  Electoral authorities in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, have rejected the registration of former foreign minister and current opposition leader Roza Otunbaeva as a candidate in February's parliamentary elections. The registration forms for Otunbaeva, a leader of the Ata Zhurt (Fatherland) opposition movement, were initially accepted yesterday. Later, however, district election officials in Bishkek withdrew her registration. Opposition members say the decision appears to be politically motivated.

• January 05, 2005

  Kyrgyzstan: Fragmented Opposition Up Against Entrenched Interests (Part 2)

  President Akaev (file photo) Following the recent peaceful political transitions in Georgia and Ukraine, the idea of a "Velvet Revolution" occurring in Kyrgyzstan is being widely discussed ahead of parliamentary and presidential elections. Even President Askar Akaev has voiced concern over attempts by what he calls "some Western forces" to establish a new government in Bishkek. Opposition leaders in Kyrgyzstan say their main goal is simply to prevent election fraud, while the country's students appear ready for genuine change. In the second and final part of a look at Kyrgyzstan's upcoming polls, RFE/RL examines the political forces at work in the country.

• January 04, 2005

  Kyrgyz Elections (Part 1): Can Kulov Unite The Opposition From Behind Bars?

  Kyrgyzstan is holding parliamentary and presidential elections this year, and the stakes are high. Incumbent President Askar Akaev has repeatedly said he intends to step down in October after the end of his second term, as required, meaning Kyrgyzstan might become the first Central Asian nation to see a change in power through a popular vote since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The opposition is aiming to obtain a majority in parliament in February in the hopes that such a showing will influence the outcome of the presidential race in October. In an exclusive interview with RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, Feliks Kulov, the imprisoned founder of Kyrgyzstan's leading opposition party, Ar-Namys (Dignity), discussed efforts to unite the opposition ahead of the polls. (This is the first of a two-part series on Kyrgyzstan's elections. In Part 2, we'll take a closer look at the platforms of both pro-government and opposition political parties who are competing for seats in February's parliamentary polls.)

• December 30, 2004

  Kazakhstan: Soros Foundation Says Tax Evasion Case Is Politically Motivated

  Authorities in Kazakhstan have launched a criminal case against the Soros-Kazakhstan Foundation, a U.S. humanitarian organization, for tax evasion. Kazakh officials said the foundation faces possible fines or a suspension of its activities in the country. The foundation maintains it has been operating in full compliance with Kazakh law. The foundation itself, as well as independent experts, believe the action is purely political.

• December 29, 2004

  Uzbekistan: Mothers, Wives Of Religious And Political Prisoners Face Challenges With Strength

  Uzbek President Islam Karimov tolerates only state-sponsored Islam and has cracked down on unauthorized religious or political activity. While an estimated 6,000 religious and political prisoners serve time, their mothers, wives, and daughters are often left behind, forced to survive in hard economic conditions. But Uzbek human right activists say these women possess a strong spirit and are more active in defending the rights of the prisoners than their male relatives.

• December 27, 2004

  Uzbekistan: International Observers Say Vote Fell Short Of Standards

  A man casting his ballot in yesterday's Uzbek election Prague, 27 December 2004 (RFE/RL) -- A number of international observers have indicated that parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan yesterday failed to meet democratic standards -- despite the fact that the government has hailed them as "open and honest."

• December 23, 2004

  Uzbekistan: Expected Low Turnout Reflects Widespread Hopelessness

  Elections are intended to be a reflection of the will of the people. Parties might compete for seats in parliament or decide to boycott the vote. Experts might be critical or optimistic about the impact of a legislature. But normally it is voters who ultimately decide when they enter polling stations and cast their ballots. In Uzbekistan, however, voters are faced with limited choices, since opposition parties have been excluded from the 26 December parliamentary elections. Five pro-government parties are vying for 120 lower house seats in the Oliy Majlis, which is set to become bicameral. Uzbek citizens admit they know little about the polls, and many say they don't care about the results, since there is little faith that a new parliament can make a difference.

• December 22, 2004

  Uzbekistan: Elections Open And Transparent, But Not Free and Fair?

  Uzbekistan is set to hold parliamentary elections on 26 December, but it's certain to be a one-sided affair. Opposition parties are not taking part directly in the elections and are urging a boycott by voters, who for their part seem to care little about the upcoming event. Meanwhile, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has sent a "limited mission" to observe the polls, in which five pro-government parties will vie for 120 lower-house seats in the Oliy Majlis or parliament, which is set to become bicameral. Representatives from the CIS, including Russia and Tajikistan, will also monitor the vote.

• December 20, 2004

  Uzbekistan: Tabligh Jamaat Group Added To Uzbek Government's Blacklist

  Wahhabists. The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. Hizb ut-Tahrir. For the last 13 years, these have been names the Uzbek government associated with radical Islam and accused of religious extremism and terrorism. Now a new group, Tabligh Jamaat, has come under government and media scrutiny with eight of its members on trial in Tashkent accused of religious extremism. But independent experts say the organization is peaceful and has become a scapegoat for the anti-Islamic Uzbek government. RFE/RL takes a closer at Tabligh Jamaat and its ideology.

• December 20, 2004

  Turkmenistan: Election Noteworthy For Lower Official Voter Turnout

  Authorities in Ashgabat have declared Turkmenistan's 19 December parliamentary elections valid, but independent observers have denounced them as a sham. The surprise was the relatively low official turnout figure. Officials say "just" 77 percent of eligible voters cast ballots for the 50 seats in the Mejlis - a lower figure than in previous elections.

• December 16, 2004

  Turkmenistan: Observers Say Upcoming Elections 'Are Elections In Name Only'

  Saparmurat Niyazov (file photo) Turkmenistan is holding parliamentary elections on 19 December. Some 140 candidates are running for 50 seats in the Turkmen parliament, or Mejlis. Turkmen officials say the elections will be free and fair, but foreign observers and members of the opposition believe that is highly unlikely. President Saparmurat Niyazov makes all political decisions in the country, and only one political party, the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan, is allowed to function.

• December 15, 2004

  Central Asia: New Report Says Banking Woes Hurting Some Central Asian Economies

  A new report by the international credit rating agency Standard & Poor's sheds an unflattering light on the banking systems of Central Asia. The report says Kazakhstan has the region's most advanced banking system and accounts for 5 percent of banking assets in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). But the report says the rest of Central Asia lags far behind due to the failure of governments to enact economic and regulatory reforms.

• December 13, 2004

  East: Yushchenko One Of Many Leaders To Seek Foreign Health Care

  Viktor Yushchenko (file photo) On 11 December, doctors announced that Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko has been suffering from the effects of dioxin poisoning. The news appeared to put an end to months of speculation about the mystery illness that has disfigured Yushchenko's face. But it did not come from doctors in Kyiv. It came from Vienna, where Yushchenko has sought medical care since falling ill on the presidential campaign trail in September. His case, however, highlights numerous other examples of leaders in the former communist world who travel abroad for medical care. Why do they do it? Is it simply due to decrepit post-Soviet health care? Or are these leaders worried about their citizens discovering the true state of their frail health?

• December 09, 2004

  Kazakhstan: Opposition, Observers Criticize President's 'Reforms'

  President Nursultan Nazarbaev has officially declared the beginning of a new stage of democratic reform in Kazakhstan. This week, he signed two decrees on elections. According to the decrees, "akims" or governors of villages and districts will be elected instead of being appointed by the president. Opposition members and independent experts say Nazarbaev's step is nothing but an attempt to weaken the opposition and improve his image ahead of hearings on the "Kazakhgate" bribery case, expected to resume in January in New York.

• December 07, 2004

  Uzbekistan: More Women To Run For Parliament Under New Gender Quota

  Uzbekistan is set to hold parliamentary elections on 26 December. According to a recent amendment to the country's election laws, at least 30 percent of the candidates nominated for parliament must be women. As of the end of the registration period, all five parties have met that requirement. Still, experts and observers believe there is little hope that female candidates, if elected, will be able to effect major changes in Uzbek politics, as the role of parliament remains largely nominal.

• December 07, 2004

  OSCE: Reforms On Agenda As Russia, U.S. Clash On Ukraine

  Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (file photo) During the past year, leaders of former Soviet republics have criticized the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), saying it has deviated from its original aims and is ineffective in promoting stability and security. They also say the OSCE has failed to make a meaningful contribution to solving economic problems. Among other issues, OSCE ministers discussed reforms of the Vienna-based organization at a conference today in the Bulgarian capital.

• December 03, 2004

  Russia: Book On 'Love And Sex In Islam' Causing Controversy, But Scholars Say Topic Is Nothing Unusual

  Russia's Ansar publishing house recently released a book titled "Love And Sex In Islam." The collection of articles and fatwas -- decrees issued by Islamic scholars -- was first presented at a book fair in Moscow last summer and immediately became a best-seller. Russia's muftiyat -- or board on Islamic affairs -- has criticized the book, which is being sold at most mosques with the word "sex" on its cover hidden.

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